 The 2011, 2012, 2014 and 2015 Lt. Col. Anthony C. Shine Fighter Pilot Award winners received engraved knives from Shine’s family during a ceremony at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va., Aug. 11, 2016. Maj. Gen. Thomas Deale, left, the Air Combat Command Headquarters director of operations, presented the winners their awards with the Shine family. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. R. Alex Durbin)
LANGLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Va. (AFNS) — Pilots from across the Air Force gathered for the 2015 Lt. Col. Anthony C. Shine Fighter Pilot Award ceremony here Aug. 11.The award is presented annually to recognize an exceptional Air Force fighter pilot who has proven excellence and professionalism in flight, as well as dedication to community service.“These pilots continue to be men who serve for more than themselves,” said Colleen Shine, daughter of Lt. Col. Shine, the award’s namesake. “They have devoted hours to their community and to the communities where they were deployed.”Colleen’s mother established the award when her husband, an A-7 Corsair II pilot, did not return home from the Vietnam War. Colonel Shine was missing in action for 24 years, and in 1996 his remains were repatriated and honored with a funeral at Arlington National Cemetery, Virginia. Colleen continues to raise awareness for those who are prisoners of war or MIA, by focusing attention on the plight of America’s prisoners and missing not only in Vietnam but also from World War II and the Korean War. The prestigious award continues to honor her father’s legacy while bringing awareness to his fate.
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